Mining engineers are responsible for the extraction, examination and analysis of minerals from the earth. Mining engineering requires a four-year degree in engineering, but many mining engineers go on to pursue a master's degree as well. Although there are no "official" rankings for top mining engineering programs there are a number of top engineering programs in the United States that offer mining engineering degrees.
Mining engineers are responsible for the extraction, examination and analysis of minerals from the earth. Mining engineering requires a four-year degree in engineering, but many mining engineers go on to pursue a master's degree as well. Although there are no "official" rankings for top mining engineering programs there are a number of top engineering programs in the United States that offer mining engineering degrees.
Penn State University
Penn State University (PSU) in University Park, Pennsylvania, has one of the top engineering programs in the nation. U.S. News & World Report ranked the Penn State program No. 23 in the nation among all engineering programs in 2009. As part of this nationally ranked program, PSU's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences offers a bachelor's degree in the field through its Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering. The program encompasses a number of related disciplines within the engineering field such as mechanical, industrial and electrical engineering. Students also study business and management as they relate to the field of mining engineering.
The program represents a wide array of research interests in the field by faculty members and students. Some of these include environmental control, mine ventilation, mechanical excavation and rock fragmentation, tunneling and underground construction and intelligent mine materials handling systems, among many others.
Penn State University Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering 110 Hosler Building University Park, PA 16802 814-865-3437 www.eme.psu.edu
Virginia Tech
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia, also houses a well-respected Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering. U.S. News ranked the Virginia Tech engineering program, as a whole, as the No. 27 program in the nation in 2009. The undergraduate program in mining engineering offered through the department is one of the largest in the world.
Students are introduced to the basics in the field and leave the program qualified to enter the workforce. At the graduate level, the school offers both the master of science and the master of engineering degrees, along with a Ph.D.
The program sponsors two research centers: the Center for Advanced Separation Technologies and the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research. Areas of research emphasis include system simulation, rock mechanics and ground control, ventilation, mineral processing and the environment.
Department of Mining & Minerals Engineering Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University 100 Holden Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-6671 www.mining.vt.edu
University of Arizona
Ranked No. 51 by U.S. News & World Report in 2009, the University of Arizona also offers an extensive mining engineering program. At the undergraduate level, Arizona offers the bachelor of science degree. Graduate degrees include the master of science, master of engineering and the Ph.D.
Students can also pursue joint-degrees by pursing both the M.S. and M.Eng. degrees or the M.Eng. degree in conjunction with a Master of Public Health (MPH) or the Master of Business Administration (MBA). Research centers sponsored by the department are the Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources and the San Xavier Underground Mining Lab.
University of Arizona Department of Mining and Geological Engineering 1235 E. James E. Rogers Way P.O. Box 210012 Tucson, AZ 85721 520-621-6063 www.mge.arizona.edu
Related Articles
References
Writer Bio
Jared Lewis is a professor of history, philosophy and the humanities. He has taught various courses in these fields since 2001. A former licensed financial adviser, he now works as a writer and has published numerous articles on education and business. He holds a bachelor's degree in history, a master's degree in theology and has completed doctoral work in American history.